Speaker & Storyteller

There is something sacred that happens when a story is told honestly in a room full of people.

Walls soften.
Masks come down.
Permission is given.

Speaking is not separate from my clinical work, it is an extension of it. I don’t speak to impress a room. I speak to move it.

My speaking style is best described as:

Compassionate. Direct. Grounded. Story-driven. Clinically informed.

I believe audiences don’t need more noise.

They need someone brave enough to tell the truth in a way that invites them to tell theirs.

As a clinical pharmacist turned mental health counselor, a breast cancer survivor, a mother to a daughter with severe disabilities, and a woman who has navigated grief, faith shifts, identity loss, and rebuilding — I don’t share theory alone.

I share lived truth paired with research, clinical insight, and practical application.

If you are looking for a speaker who can hold both science and soul, I would be honored to serve your audience.

as seen on

What I Speak On

    • Ambiguous grief

    • Caregiver grief

    • Identity loss

    • Chronic sorrow

    • Redefining resilience

    • Parenting through diagnosis

    • Navigating chronic stress

    • Trauma-informed workplaces

    • Supporting families in crisis

    • Preventing burnout in helping professionals

    • High-achieving women and hidden exhaustion

    • Breaking cycles

    • Faith transitions and religious deconstruction

    • Redefining identity beyond roles

    • Boundaries without guilt

    • Burnout prevention

    • Psychological safety

    • Emotional intelligence for leaders

    • Supporting employees navigating grief or caregiving

    • Trauma-informed corporate culture

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."

— Maya Angelou

Where I Speak

  • Keynotes

    Powerful, story-driven keynote presentations that blend clinical expertise with lived experience. Equal parts research-informed and heart-centered, these keynotes leave audiences not just inspired, but equipped with attendees walk away feeling seen and steadied.

  • Women's Retreats

    Women’s retreats are where I feel the closest to my calling. Whether faith-based, therapeutic, leadership-focused, or wellness-centered, my passion is helping your team create a sacred space for women to tell the truth about their lives. Through storytelling, guided reflection, and gentle but courageous conversations, women reconnect with themselves — beyond roles, expectations, and exhaustion. These gatherings are tender. Transformative. And deeply memorable.

  • Panel Speaker

    Bringing warmth, thoughtfulness, and grounded expertise to panel discussions. Contributing nuanced perspectives on women’s mental health, caregiving, grief, faith transitions, disability advocacy, and trauma recovery always centering dignity, complexity, and hope.

  • Breakout Sessions

    Perfect for conferences and professional gatherings, these breakout sessions offer intimate, high-impact learning environments.

    Participants engage in reflective exercises, narrative-based discussions, and skill-building tools they can immediately implement whether in counseling rooms, classrooms, boardrooms, or living rooms.

  • Organizational Trainings

    Create psychologically safe environments through practical, evidence-based mental health education. With a focus on burnout prevention, compassion fatigue, grief in the workplace, supporting caregiving employees, trauma-informed leadership, and emotional regulation skills, leaders gain tools and teams gain language. Organizations gain a culture that values both performance and people. 

Let’s create something meaningful together.

BOOK Dr. Peña